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"And Kalona said he doesn’t think Neferet knows anything about the baseroup distracted while we get the place cleaned out and get our kids moved there Hopefully, they’ll have a day or two of peace, and then we’ll get to go back to the depot," I finished explaining to Thanatos "Oh, and if we’re here for et our cats and Duchess They have auto feeders and water, but they’ll be lonely and their litter boxes will be disgusting"

The dark-eyed High Priestess hadI told her that the base old weapons andall of it to one of Lenobia’s tack rooms I hadn’t told her that the weapons were covered with jewels and super old, and worth, like, a gazillion dollars And there really wasn’t any media center stuff down there at all It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Thanatos, but I’d decided the fewer people knew about the fortune, the better Stark and Darius had agreed Actually, the on could have been keeping the weapon stash a secret for a very long tion had been one of the most loyal Warriors I’d ever known Clearly, there was a reason he’d kept that to himself, and I’d bet it wasn’t a selfish reason

So I left the weapon/jewel/fortune detail out of arding the cats--and Duchess I will be sure they are transported here, if it comes to that But hoill Kalona distract Dallas?" Thanatos asked

"He’s going to tell Dallas that I said I didn’t want to lead Erin’s funeral--that I didn’t even want to build the pyre Then he’s going to say you left the job to hi to bait Dallas into building the pyre"

"Yep, and hopefully leading Erin’s funeral, too After everything that happened with her I decided that it really would be best for et involved" I paused and added, "I hope all that’s okay with you"

"When a fledgling rejects the Change and dies, it is always difficult for those left behind In this case there were co to trust your instincts, Zoey Erin was part of your circle--you have been acting as her High Priestess It is your right to choose her funeral arrangements"

"Thank you," I said

"I do believe it is wise that you allow Shaunee to invoke her eleh It will help what must follow to be completed more quickly It will also help Shaunee to bid her friend a final farewell"

"Okay, yes I’ll talk to Shaunee"

"I believe you should talk with your Prophetess as well"

"Aphrodite?" Thanatos’s request surprised e her mental health carefully"

"Huh? I don’t think I’e Aphrodite’s ht cut h Priestess and, ifProphetess to a goddess is never an easy gift to bear, and Aphrodite lost father and ht--violently and publicly"

"I already checked on her today Darius said she was finally sleeping, so I didn’t wake her up"

"Wake her If she won’t ad her friend," Thanatos said

"I’ll do my best"

"I must also warn you to expect unrest at the school I can feel Darkness building, and it feeds on anger and pain, fear and frustration, intensifying the power froifted by the Goddess carefully Where there is great power, there also is Darkness drawn"

"At least two oflosses," I worried aloud "And, really, Erin’s death affected all of us Noe’re stuck here with kids who are also upset and pissed off Can’t you do so a hard tioing to help my friends deal with their issues

"Zoey, I met with Detective Marx before the Fox News crew arrived Actually, Chera Kimiko’s presence here is indicative of the fact that this situation is not going to be resolved quickly"

"Didn’t Detective Marx find anything that would prove Neferet killed thethat coin on all our professors to rule out a ood! None of our professors killed the mayor," I said

"Zoey, if I allow the huthem to cross a boundary that has successfully and safely separated human and vampyre codes of justice for more than five hundred years"

I shook my head "No, I still don’t see why that’s bad At least not this time"

"This time it is not bad What about the next ties it to look like a va--and perhaps even has a strand or two of hair froh Priestesses to leave at the crime scene If I allow a nick in the wall that protects our kind against hu will it be before that wall cruain?"

I shivered "What are you going to do? We can’t just stay locked up here forever"

"I have sent a request to the High Council for a hearing this very night"